Forever Love
by Rydia Highwind
Summary: A happy little romance I'm working on. Its PG-13 because of some later content which I haven't written yet.
1. Chapter 1--->In which, Soi electrocutes ...

This is a Chichiri and Soi Romance. Why? Because. I like Chichiri. And I like Soi. XP It was actually my oneesan Rose's idea, but I ran with it. The characters belong to Watase Yuu. Yeah. This story comes when the Suzaku no seishi are on the boat on their way to Hokkan to retrieve the Shinzaho.  
  
  
~~~Forever Love~~~  
  
It was a clear night, clear enough to look straight up to the infinite heavens and count every tiny diamond star imbedded there in the universe. It was a night filled with the endless silence, a cool breeze, a brisk awareness that this clear night would soon become a night of bloodshed.  
  
She was standing outside on the balcony connected to her room, staring up into that endless abyss. Her long locks, violet in the moonlight, flowed down far past her back and brushed her calves. She clung to a grayish blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. Though it wasn't a particularly cold night, she shivered.  
  
There was something about this night, something would happen that would change everything. Not something empathetic, or even premonitious...but something. She just couldn't shake that feeling.  
  
"Soi-san?"  
  
She turned slightly, hearing her name. In the shadows of the buttery light spilling over from her room stood a young man, a few years her junior. "Hai, Suboshi..?" she responded quietly.  
  
"Nakago-sama sent me to get you. We're leaving shortly." Suboshi waited for a short moment and then disappeared back out of site.  
  
She lingered a moment on the balcony, then turned and headed back to her room. Yes, they were leaving shortly. Shortly, they would meet the Suzaku No shichiseishi and probably kill a few of them. Shortly, she would be partaking in this gruesome business of assassination. Shortly, she would once again feel the lingering emptiness at the bottom of her heart, the same way she did every time...  
  
She shook her head. No. Tonight would be different. Perhaps Seiryuu would grant her weary soul some rest. She packed a few belongings into a bag which she attached to her belt. Her fingers skillfully laced a ribbon up and through her hair, pinning it away from her face so that it would not be a bother during battle. She pulled on her decorative boots, paying no heed to the emblem of the blue dragon that glowed there.  
  
When she exited her room, she didn't even need to turn to know that Nakago was there, waiting for her. His presence was like an ocean wave that washed over her over and over, filling her with a hope that someday...someday he would feel the same about her as she did him. She owed him her life, which she would readily give. After what he had done for her...already that had been seven years ago and she still knew she owed him everything.  
  
Nakago's blue-eyed gaze penetrated her as she looked up at him. His gaze always sent a mixture of fear, awe, and pleasure rippling up and down her spine, and today was no exception. "Are you ready?" he said, his low, icy voice surrounding her.  
  
"Hai. Suboshi told me you wanted to go soon," she replied.  
  
Nakago nodded. "Yoi. Let's go. We want to meet them on their way there." He turned, then paused. "Suboshi has sure recovered well, ne?"  
  
She stood still for a moment, thinking about the comment. Just three days before, one of the Suzaku no seishi, Tamahome, had beaten the hell out of Suboshi. He shouldn't have been out of bed within a month with the injuries he had received. But, after being around Nakago as long as she had, nothing surprised her anymore. "So one of them has healing powers as well?" she asked.  
  
The general nodded briefly. "Miboshi is more powerful than I had first suspected. He had to subject himself to vast amounts of energy, however, and won't be accompanying us."  
  
She said nothing. Personally, the bald little guy made her a bit skittish. But she had learned to live with it. He was a Seiryuu no Seishi just as much as she.  
  
Within ten minutes, they were on their horses, riding through the night towards Konan, towards another day of blood tomorrow, towards someone's fate. Only four of them were going, however. Amiboshi was dead, drowned by one of the Suzaku no seishi; Miboshi had over-exerted himself in Suboshi's healing; Nakago had left Ashitare, the wolf-man, locked in his cage; and Hongo Yui, Seiryuu no Miko, had stayed in the palace, the battle field being far too dangerous for their only key to summoning the blue dragon. That left herself, Nakago, Suboshi, and the mysterious sorcerer Tomo.  
  
She could feel the vast temperature change as they rode past the Kutou border and entered the northern region of Hokkan. The cold is a sign, she thought, a sign of the death that will come. The Suzaku no Shichiseishi will pay for what they took from us.  
  
  
The morning started out quite nicely, really, considering that Tamahome was half sulking yet and Tasuki was badgering the hell out of him about it all through breakfast. Thus the breakfast table was filled with the two seventeen year olds squabbling, but that wasn't at all uncommon.  
  
Chichiri assisted Nuriko and Mitsukake in clearing the table, and even with the three of them, it took a little doing because of the four plates Suzaku no Miko Yuuki Miaka had cleaned off. When Chiriko offered to take Chichiri's place for drying the cleaned dishes, Chichiri gratefully accepted and headed out to the deck of the boat to scan for any sign of the Seiryuu no Seishi and the attack they had to be planning.  
  
As he stared out to sea, however, he felt his mind wandering. He loved the water, he always had, but after that bloody night six years ago, he could never look at the water the same. It no longer gave him that comfort it once did when he was just a kid. And he always avoided calm waters, fearing to see his reflection, the reflection of a mask covering the emptiness and pain he had hid deep within his soul. He was afraid of what he would see when he looked at his reflection.  
  
"Chichiri-san...?"  
  
The voice startled him out of his thoughts and he jumped just a little in surprise before catching himself. He turned quickly with a surprised little, "Da!" and saw Chiriko standing there, looking concerned.  
  
The green-eyed boy looked a little chagrined. "Gomen ne, I didn't mean to scare you...," he said apologetically. "I was just wondering if you had found anything yet."  
  
"Iie no da," Chichiri replied, realizing he hadn't been paying the closest attention. "Demo, they still could be out there no da. Nakago is a powerful sorcerer and I'm sure he knows how to cloak his chi no da."  
  
"That is, if they even know we're coming," Chiriko responded, seating himself next to Chichiri. "I'm not sure they do. If I were their strategist, I'd have attacked us long ago."  
  
"You're probably alot smarter than their strategist no da," Chichiri said with a little smile. He knew the little guy didn't doubt his own capacity, but he knew it was nice to be reminded once in awhile.  
  
Chiriko smiled. "Domo...oi, what if they're waiting for us to land before attacking?"  
  
"What would be the point in that no da? We're much more vulnerable out to sea no da. And if what Nuriko-kun said was correct about that seishi that rescued Suboshi--he had powers with lightning, ne no da?" Chichiri asked, suddenly feeling like a sitting duck.  
  
"Hai, that's what Nuriko-san said...that's why I don't think they've found us," Chiriko replied. "But that doesn't make any sense either. We know they have spies all over the place. The only thing I can think of..."  
  
"Nani no da?" the other asked.  
  
"The only thing I can think of is that they'd be planning an ambush and sending out more than one of them at one time," the boy explained quietly. "That way, they'd be safer attacking us once we've landed so that they can all use their power, not just that one's."  
  
Chichiri sighed. The thirteen year old was exactly right, as he usually was. Of course they would wait until they had landed to attack. "Have you told anyone else about this no da..?" he wondered.  
  
Chiriko shook his head. "Iie. I just thought of it when I came back here to talk to you." He stood up. "I'll go tell Miaka-san and ask her what she thinks we should do. Are you going to keep looking for them?"  
  
"Hai no da. I'll concentrate on the shore now, though no da," the monk replied. "Oh, and why don't you tell Tamahome-kun first no da? He may not even want Miaka-chan to know no da."  
  
Chiriko nodded and ran off to explain the situation to Tamahome while Chichiri concentrated his thoughts on the cliffs ahead of them. He wished for about the fortieth time that Hotohori could have come along. Hotohori was a wonderful strategist, especially with someone like Chiriko on his side, who could out-guess most of the opponent's moves. While Chiriko excelled in genius, he lacked in experience, making him naive and a little vulnerable at times and unable to come up with a logical counterattack.  
  
Chichiri sensed nothing even as they docked later that morning. He was sure that they were there, but he couldn't find them and it was driving him crazy. Even as he assisted in unpacking their belongings from the boat, he was preoccupied with trying to locate the enemy.  
  
It wasn't until they had fully unpacked the boat and started loading it on their horses when he finally felt something. Someone...something was right behind him. He spun around, putting up an automatic protective barrier as he did so. As two spinning striped balls connected by a string bounced off of the magical barrier with enough force to crack it, he knew Chiriko had been right. "Minna, they're attacking no da!!" Chichiri yelled.  
  
And, at that moment, all hell broke loose.  
  
Miaka screamed suddenly as a blue-white lightning bolt shot through the air, scorching the soil next to where she had been standing. Tamahome dove to protect her from another one a moment later.  
  
While Chichiri was distracted, worrying about Miaka, the balls slammed into the magical barrier again, shattering it this time. The weapon flew at him, the string in the middle wrapping around his arms and chest, making him unable to move his arms above his elbows. "Daa!" he exclaimed in surprise.  
  
Before he could react with a spell of any kind, there was a laugh so cruel, so filled with malice and spite, that he cringed. And then, he knew suddenly--in that moment he had flinched, that's when Nakago had cast a spell on him. He couldn't tell what sort of spell it was, or even where Nakago was, but he knew.  
  
And the moment he tried to free himself from his bondage, he knew what the spell was.  
  
As he cast a spell to loosen the rope around him, a sudden, strange fire filled him and he cried out involuntarily and stumbled to his knees. It was a reversal spell, one that cast a spell on him whenever he tried to use his magic. He muttered a word more likely to come from Tasuki's mouth than his and struggled to turn to see the others.  
  
Tamahome was halfway up from pushing Miaka down in protective efforts, Miaka following. Chiriko was halfway behind Mitsukake and Tasuki and Nuriko were clinging to each other in fear. "Chichiri-san!" Chiriko exclaimed. "Where--?"  
  
Chichiri suddenly looked around and realized he could see none of the Seiryuu no Seishi. But they were there, he could sense them. "All around no da!" he cried. "And I can't use my magic no da..!"  
  
Another silver-blue lightning bolt crashed down, sending Tasuki and Nuriko sprawling apart. Chiriko pointed to a nearby cliff. "It's coming from up there!" Chichiri looked up at the cliff, but saw no one there. Suddenly, it hit him. They were not only cloaking their chi, they were cloaking their appearance as well.  
  
"Daa!" he yelled. "Everyone, be careful no da!! They're cloaking their appearance and their chi no da! I'm going to try and cast a spell to reveal them no da!!"  
  
"Chichiri-kun, what about that spell?" Nuriko called to him. "I thought you couldn't use you magic!" He didn't seem to be hurt, nor did Tasuki; they were both a little dazed and thankful to be alive, though.  
  
Chichiri said nothing for a moment, knowing he'd likely be risking his life casting a spell large enough that would hit all of the cloaked enemies. If only he could tell where they were, there'd be a much lower threat to his life. Another bolt hit ground near Mitsukake and Chichiri reminded himself to hurry.  
  
"Wait a minute no da!!" he exclaimed suddenly. He could sense them, somewhat. They weren't cloaking their chi, it was just they were behind some sort of barrier. If he could pinpoint the location of the barrier and take it down without using excessive magic, they'd be able to locate the enemy and probably at least escape with their lives. It was definitely worth a try. "Minna, lend me your chi no da! I need to locate their magical barrier without using too much of my own magic no da!"  
  
There was a chorus of "Hai"s and he lifted his shakujou as far as his bound arms would allow him. The spell began to shock him again, but he ignored it, focusing on the energy and chi of the other seishi and pointing it at the cliff where the lightning bolts had come from.  
  
He felt the barrier now, but it wasn't just a simple, one-sided barrier like he had assumed. It seemed to be all around them, imposing on all sides, like they were inside a container with the Seiryuu no Seishi on the outside. This was going to take alot more magic than he had thought.  
  
Bracing himself, he pointed his shakujou out and started the spell. The burning increased, but he ignored it, gritting his teeth and clinging to his shakujou hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. Perspiration gathered on his face and caused his mask to slide from his face. The spell was beginning to work though. The barrier began to crumble from the inside and working its way outward.  
  
Suddenly, the bounds came loose and Chichiri was free again. But instead of exercising his newfound freedom, he stayed in the same position and continued the spell, knowing that any distraction could break his concentration.  
  
The conflagration still plagued him although the bondage was gone. But if he could just maintain a steady chi blast for a few moments longer, the barrier would be broken completely. He found he was now standing up, his right arm extended with his shakujou and his left hand pressed close to his face, with his fore and middle finger pressed against his lips and nose.  
  
With a white-hot blast of energy, the barrier was finally gone. All of it. The Suzaku no Seishi were free. The world seemed to melt away around Chichiri. The spell had been too much, he realized as he collapsed to his knees. He had overestimated his stamina and not taken the effects the barrier had had on him before into consideration, he supposed. He could barely see now, but it seemed that the ground was rushing up to meet him so he could sleep. But he didn't want to sleep, he couldn't now...he had to...he had...to.... 


	2. Chapter 2--->In which, Tasuki says some ...

This is a Chichiri and Soi Romance. Why? Because. I like Chichiri. And I like Soi. XP It was actually my oneesan Rose's idea, but I ran with it. The characters belong to Watase Yuu. Yeah. This story comes when the Suzaku no seishi are on the boat on their way to Hokkan to retrieve the Shinzaho.  
  
  
~~~Forever Love~~~  
  
She had been watching the enemies from outside of Tomo's shell and sending lightning into the illusion, making the show more entertaining and more deadly for the defenseless Suzaku no Seishi. But there was one of them in the illusion who seemed to know better somehow. Tomo had assured them that there were no magical side effects, no mystical trails, nothing you could follow that would allow you to know you were inside the illusion.  
  
But suddenly, Tomo stumbled back and dropped the clam. The Suzaku no Seishi looked around in confusion for a moment. "They...they broke free! Demo--how?" Tomo stammered in surprise, watching the confused seishi try to figure out what had happened.  
  
"By sacrificing one of their own," Nakago sneered. "Look." He pointed at the group and, more specifically, at one young man who was collapsed and unconscious at one end of the circle. "Reversal spells work wonders."  
  
It took only a few moments for the Suzaku no seishi to figure out where they now were and to react to the group of Seiryuu no seishi stand ten meters away. One of them pointed and yelled, "There they are!" while another one pulled out a tessen of some sort and aimed it for some kind of attack.  
  
A third member of the Suzaku group, a tall man with a muscular build and dark green hair, rushed to the side of the unconscious man. Nakago looked amused. "That's Mitsukake, the Suzaku healer," he explained. "But we can't have our newest bargaining chip healed now, can we?" The blond general smirked and snapped his fingers; the unconscious man disappeared.  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence from both sides. The Suzaku no seishi obviously weren't expecting their friend to suddenly disappear while the Seiryuu no seishi knew that Nakago wasn't the type to take prisoners.  
  
"Why you--!!" yelled one of the enemies, a young one with wild red-orange hair and a glare to go with. "LEKKA SHINEN!!" A ball of flames burst forth from the gleaming tessen and shot at them with alarming speed and dexterity. But Nakago had taken the precaution of building a strong magic-proof shield for them and so none of the flames could get close enough to scorch them or even warm them at all.  
  
Nakago looked at her. "Care to have some fun?" he asked her blandly, gesturing at the painfully susceptible Suzaku no seishi.  
  
She knew it was more of a command than a question and she would have agreed to it had it been an inquiry, so she smiled smugly and commented, "Of course, Nakago-sama. It would be my pleasure." She turned toward the seishi and smiled as she lifted her arms in the air, gathering the blue-silver electric energy from the beast god Seiryuu. "Hakou...." It gathered around a pinpoint in her palms until it was a giant electrical ball, fierce with energy, longing to be set free.  
  
"JURAI!!" With the finish of the ancient spell, the sphere of electric power was released into a beam of unleashed lightning of Seiryuu. She lowered her arms to aim the beam at the seishi and felt the wave of sadistic pleasure flow around her as she struck them with all she had.  
  
When she finally was forced to curb her attack as she felt her chi level dip low enough to make her stagger a little, she had the grim satisfaction of seeing the Suzaku no seishi scrambling for their lives, quite literally.  
  
Suboshi stepped forward. "May I have a turn, Nakago-sama?" he asked, swinging his Ryuseisui and grinning in a decidedly devilish way.  
  
Nakago simply lifted a hand, a sign of ultimate superiority and power, power which Suboshi didn't dare challenge. "Iie. Not now. We have an important asset to them in our hands. Give them time to lick their wounds. I think Yui-sama will be pleased, ne?"  
  
  
Soi's last lightning charge had managed to injure all of them at least a little. It had slammed into the ground in the center of the Suzaku no seishi, spreading out in an unworldly fashion. Tasuki had been hurt the worst, with a painful looking reddened burn extending over a good section of his right calf, but none of the injuries were life-threatening in any way. Mitsukake healed the worst injuries right away and bandaged everyone else up.  
  
Then, the six of them sat in a small circle, uncharacteristically quiet and clueless as to what they could do. Finally, Tasuki growled out, "Well, we can't just let them fucking take off like that. We have to go after them."  
  
"So they can trap us in another illusion and kill us all?" Tamahome retorted bitterly. "More than one of them know magic. Only one of us knows magic, and he's not exactly here right now. We wouldn't stand a chance."  
  
Tasuki stood up, still favoring his right leg, although it was healed. "So you suggest that we just let those fuckin' Seiryuu bastards mess him up even worse than they already did?" he demanded, his eyes flashing angrily.  
  
The other young man stood up to meet the first one's challenge. "How the hell are we going to help him if we're dead?"  
  
"Guys! Guys, quit your arguing!" Nuriko put in, rather angry about the whole matter himself. "We won't do anybody any good sitting here fighting over what to do about it."  
  
They both sighed a bit and turned back to sit down. Nuriko sighed and folded his arms. And then there was a long and deafening silence. There was no breeze, no insects, no birds, just silence. That was slowly broken though, by a timid little voice of a frightened young boy. "What...are they going to do with him there?" Chiriko whimpered.  
  
And then, that silence thickened over them again. No one knew how to answer the soft-spoken question; no one had an answer for him. They didn't know if Nakago planned to have Chichiri killed or tortured or interrogated. They only had brief assurances from Mitsukake that the monk was even alive when he had been captured.  
  
"He's okay...he just has to be," said Miaka suddenly, standing up from where she had been seated near Tamahome. "He can't be dead. They can't kill him, can they? They can't...." She looked around in surprise, seeing her five remaining warriors all looking away from her sadly. Slowly, she slid to her knees, shock and sorrow etched in her face. "He--he just can't be...."  
  
"Miaka-chan...," Nuriko said quietly. He sighed and then stood up, now addressing the other seishi as well as his Miko. "Well, there's no use sitting here moping about this. We need to go back and tell Heika-sama."  
  
"Demo--," started Tasuki.  
  
"Uresai," Nuriko murmured, shooting him a look. Tasuki meekly obeyed.  
  
The others murmured in agreement and started hauling their cargo back on to the ship. Everyone except Miaka, that is. She was still on her knees in the middle of the clearing, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She didn't move until she felt a strong set of hands grasping her shoulders. "We don't know what happened to Chichiri-kun," a deep voice told her, the owner of the hands, "but we have to hope for the best or we cannot continue. If we don't have hope, there isn't much that we do have. So we will hope. That's all we can do now."  
  
Miaka turned and looked at Mitsukake, a tearful smile appearing on her face. "Domo arigatou, Mitsukake-san," she said to him. "Hope is all we can do, so lets do it, ne?"  
  
  
The prisoner was put in a room on the far end of the Kutou palace, which Nakago cast a magic barrier around as well as leaving the reversal spell in place so that there was no way the young sorcerer could use his magic. Even if he tried, the blond general would easily sense it and take appropriate measures.  
  
Nakago seemed overly wary of this prisoner for some strange reason. He paced outside the room for an hour after he was put there, guards at any possible exit. She was beginning to worry about him and she approached him. "Nakago-sama, you need your rest. You just came back from battle and you need to hold up this magic barrier up for an indefinite amount of time. Go. Rest. I'll stay with the prisoner until you are rested."  
  
The blond man looked down at her, not a hint of the weariness she knew he must have been feeling showing in his vivid blue eyes. He blinked once. "Hai. You are not tired yourself, though?"  
  
"Iie, I'll be fine," she said, hiding the fatigue she was feeling prying gently at the back of her mind. "You have to endure more than I, it is the least I can do for you. Please, let me do this for you."  
  
Nakago nodded shortly. "Fine. You are capable of taking care of yourself." He let a small, sly smile cross his pale lips as he started walking the other direction, knowing she was glancing back over her shoulder at him. "At least you are now," he added just loud enough for her to hear as he rounded the corner.  
  
She flinched unconsciously as she heard his words. It was a reminder that she belonged to him. She knew there was no way she'd forget that, but he had always been leaving subtle hints like this, almost like he was afraid she'd forget. But she would never forget. Nakago had saved her. She owed him her life. And she would never forget that.  
  
But he was gone now. She turned and looked at the door, the door to the room that held the man Nakago felt he needed to guard personally. Idly, she wondered why Nakago was so concerned. She decided to find out.  
  
About an hour after the blond general had left for resting, she had the guards let her into the room. What she found was somewhat of a surprise, the man was not exactly as she'd expected. He was slender, but with a sturdy build. His light blue bangs covered the right side of his face. She walked farther into the room, the light from the hallway spilling into the dark room like water. It was when the light shined on his face when she noticed something amiss. There seemed to be something wrong with his left eye, the skin around it was pale and a bit leathery. A scar. A long, ghastly scar extended from above his left eyebrow all the way over his eyelid, sealing his left eye shut, and extending over the bridge of his nose, but she could not see where it ended because of his hair.  
  
They had laid him flat on his back, his arms straight by his sides. There was one thin blanket covering him up to his chest. He was not moving, except for the slight rising and falling of his chest with each breath.  
  
She felt herself smirk. Not much of a threat, he seemed to be. Then why...?  
  
"Soi-san."  
  
She whirled toward the door and saw another figure standing in the door. Her unusual clothes and hairstyle easily gave her identity away. She was Seiryuu no Miko herself, Hongo Yui. "Gomen ne, Soi-san, I didn't mean to startle you," the young miko said apologetically.  
  
"Daijoubu," the seishi assured her. "What...do you need...?"  
  
Yui took a few more steps into the room. "I heard we had a prisoner from Miaka's group and I just wanted to see him." At a gesture, she turned toward the young magician's lifeless body. "He knows magic?" Yui asked.  
  
"Hai," she replied with a nod. "He figured out Tomo's illusion spell and somehow managed to break it. Tomo still hasn't figured it all out himself. Demo, Nakago-sama had set a reversal spell on this sorcerer, so whatever he did to that illusion, he also did to himself. That's why he's unconscious."  
  
"Why did Nakago-sama take him prisoner and not just kill him?"  
  
"I..I'm not sure," she replied. "He could be used for information, or a bargaining chip even. Though...I don't know why he'd need one. And he seems overly protective of this man, almost like--" Realizing what she was saying, she immediately shut her mouth. No, she couldn't go about telling Seiryuu no Miko her doubts about their strongest warrior.  
  
But Yui didn't seem to notice and even finished the sentence for her. "--like he knows something we don't. I got that impression when I spoke to him as well." She shifted, then changed the subject. "Well, our spies report that the Suzaku no seishi have returned to Konan, rather than venture out for the Shinzaho without this one. Most likely they'll return soon. Nakago-sama is sending Tomo and Ashitare into Touran to look for it. I think he'll probably send you to confront them when they return as well, because they'll most likely take the water route again."  
  
"Understood, Yui-sama." 


	3. Chapter 3--->In which, Chichiri succeeds...

This is a Chichiri and Soi Romance. Why? Because. I like Chichiri. And I like Soi. XP It was actually my oneesan Rose's idea, but I ran with it. The characters belong to Watase Yuu. Yeah. This story comes when the Suzaku no seishi are on the boat on their way to Hokkan to retrieve the Shinzaho.  
  
  
~~~Forever Love~~~  
  
The young emperor nodded slowly, sighed, and pressed his forehead against his folded hands. "You were right to come back, Tamahome-kun. Demo, we still need to get the Shinzaho before Kutou does," he said slowly.  
  
"I agree, Heika-sama," Tamahome replied. "Should we split up, half going for the Shinzaho and half going for Chichiri-san? Or..."  
  
Hotohori slowly shook his head, his hands still pressed to his forehead. "Iie, there's no way we could get into their fortress undetected without Chichiri-san. Besides, none of us really stand much of a chance against them without someone to counter their magic." He sighed again. "Iie, you should probably hurry back to Hokkan to search for the Shinzaho."  
  
"Demo, what about Chichiri--?" Tasuki suddenly demanded from the group of seishi standing before the handsome young emperor. "Are we just going to fuckin' leave him there?!"  
  
Nuriko crossed his arms and looked annoyed. "Tasuki-kun, I've already explained it to you thirty-seven times. We will do Chichiri absolutely no good if we're all dead. We don't stand a chance," he said in an overly exasperated tone. Tasuki pouted, but said nothing.  
  
"Perhaps a few of us should stay here," Chiriko piped up from the back of the group. All eyes turned to the thirteen-year-old genius and he cleared his throat to explain. "I've been thinking about it and I assume that they are leaving Chichiri-san alive for information and possibly a way to get to us. Nakago would have killed him while we all watched, just to rub it in. Demo, he chose to take Chichiri-san with him. If Nakago would decide to try and get something from us by offering Chichiri-san, perhaps a few of us should stay here with the Heika-sama," he finished.  
  
Hotohori paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Then who shall stay and who shall go..?" he finally asked.  
  
"I'll go look for the Shinzaho," Tamahome declared. Miaka, who was standing near him, quickly offered to join him.  
  
Mitsukake also stepped forward, nodding his head. "My healing powers would probably be of more use going with Tamahome-kun and Miaka-chan. I offer to join them," he said in his deep, rich voice.  
  
"I'd just as soon stay here, in case that blond bastard comes back," Nuriko put in grimly. "Boy, I'd like to get a piece of him...." He shoved his balled right fist into his left palm threateningly.  
  
Chiriko spoke up next. "I'd like to stay here too, I think. As much as I'd like to help you guys out, I'm afraid I'd probably just get in the way. And I believe my skills would be better put to use if I stayed."  
  
At this point, all eyes were pointed towards Tasuki, standing a little ways off to one side, his arms folded across his chest and a half-pouting look spread across his handsome features. Finally, he made up his mind and announced, "I'm goin' to look for the Shinzaho. No use fuckin' around here when I could be helping you guys out a little."  
  
"All right," Hotohori said, standing from his chair. "Then it's settled. I'll have supplies prepared for you four immediately. You may leave within the hour. I'll inform the guards that we may need extra protection in case the Kutou spies do come with an offer."  
  
The seven of them scattered off, the ones planning to stay behind helping the others prepare for a potentially extremely long trip. The boat they would be taking across the valley was prepared barely in time and the young emperor found himself waving good-bye to his beloved miko once again. Sighing, he turned away as soon as the boat was out of view. Chiriko and Nuriko were watching too and Chiriko turned when the emperor did, but Nuriko stayed a moment afterwards, a strong sense of foreboding pulling at the back of his mind.  
  
A few moments later, Nuriko too turned, after Chiriko shouted his name in a somewhat worried tone. Whatever he had just felt was now gone, like flower petals caught in a gust of wind.  
  
But he didn't forget what he had felt.  
  
  
She had set up a cot in the room adjoining the one containing the young sorcerer during the first night. Nakago had been back, but only when she was asleep in the next room. She knew he was very capable to watch the prisoner himself, but for some reason, he was having her keep watching him.  
  
The prisoner had been unconscious for the better part of four days. Nakago's spell had hurt him quite seriously, but quiet moans from his slightly parted lips assured her that he was still alive at the moments when even his breathing was nearly stilled.  
  
On the evening of the fourth day, she had overheard some soldiers talking about the fact that Konan was sending people out again to look for the Shinzaho, taking the same boat route they had before. Surprised, she had sought out Nakago and asked him what the counterattack plan would be.  
  
Nakago smiled. "You shouldn't worry about that," he said in that devilish voice. "I've already sent Miboshi and Suboshi to deal with whatever threat Konan still has to offer. What of the prisoner? Has he awakened yet?"  
  
"Iie. His moans are becoming more frequent, however, and I think he'll probably wake up soon," she replied. She glanced over her shoulder and back down the hallway, to where the young man's prison was.  
  
Nakago nodded briefly, his blond locks falling forward as he did so. "I see. I want you to keep on monitoring him. If he wakes, answer his questions. Demo, be vague. Let him know that he'll likely kill himself if he tries anything. He'll probably be only strong enough to be awake for a few minutes."  
  
"Hai." She half-bowed respectively as Nakago took his leave. She watched him go, his tall, strong posture not wavering one bit as he made his way down the hallway. She respected him for it; she cared for him because of it, his strength, his perseverance, his bravery. Sighing slightly, she turned away and walked back down the corridor, and, upon reaching it, she entered the prisoner's room.  
  
She had set up a place for her to rest in the vicinity, as much of her time was spent in there or nearby outside the door. Settling in, she glanced again at their prisoner. He was close to waking up, she could tell by the fact that he had moved one of his hands from against his side up to his stomach.  
  
A few lamps had been lit so she could see clearly. She waited and watched for about ten minutes. Then she stated in a clear, loud voice, "Are you awake yet? Or did you plan to sleep forever?"  
  
The young man grunted lightly and winced, bringing his right hand up to his face and rubbing at his eye slightly. After a long pause, he murmured almost intelligibly, "I'm cold no da...."  
  
She paused a moment, uncertain. That wasn't exactly what she had been expecting. But as she did pause, she thought that perhaps it was in fact a little chilly in the room. She shook the thought away; she could not let her sympathy for the wounded make her forget that this was a potentially dangerous enemy. "What's your name?" she demanded.  
  
He murmured something quietly and slurred unclearly.  
  
Slightly annoyed, she poked his arm with a long fingernail. "Wake up already. And tell me your name, and say it so I can understand what you're saying this time," she persisted.  
  
Slowly, he opened his eyes. Or rather, his eye. The left one, the one with the scars covering it, did not open, probably sealed shut from the injury. He turned toward the sound of her voice and blinked groggily. "You're not Kouran no da," he said sounding somewhat surprised.  
  
She did not know of anyone named Kouran. She was fully prepared to tell him so. "No, I'm not Kouran. My name is Soi. Now. Who are you?" she demanded for the third time, hoping the addition of her own name would prompt him to comply.  
  
"Houjun," he said softly, still not looking completely awake. "Ri Houjun. That's my name no da."  
  
Houjun? she thought. Nakago had mentioned the man's name and, although she couldn't remember what that was, she did know Nakago had not said 'Ri Houjun.' Which meant that he was either lying or stating his real name. Just as she was Haku Kaen as well as Soi, perhaps he was Ri Houjun as well as his constellation name. "Your constellation name," she said. "I need your seishi name."  
  
"Seishi...." Houjun blinked a few times, and suddenly seemed alot more with it. He looked around suddenly, apparently just realizing he wasn't where he thought he was. But instead of panicking and demanding to know where he was as she had expected him to, he simple settled back down on to the cot. "Soi, you said no da? Of the Seiryuu no seishi undoubtedly no da. My seishi name is Chichiri no da. Am I in Kutou now no da?"  
  
"Hai. This is Kutou," she replied shortly. "Don't try anything--Nakago-sama still has his reversal spell in place, as well as a number of other precautions. You'd never make it out. As long as you're compliant, we'll leave you alive."  
  
"I didn't intend to so much as move, not in this condition no da. I do appreciate your concern for my life though no da." There was a mischievous glint in his deep brown eye and the beginnings of a smirk on his lips.  
  
She scowled. "That's not what I meant. Nakago-sama had me tell you your circumstances to make sure you were aware of the risks to your life. We will have no qualms in killing you if you should try anything," she responded coldly. "I'd kill you right now if Nakago-sama wished it."  
  
"I'd expect nothing less from him no da," Chichiri replied. "I'm a little surprised that I'm even breathing now as we speak no da."  
  
She sniffed indignantly. "Frankly, I am too. I have no idea why he bothered keeping you alive. He probably wants to torture you to death. Such things please him sometimes," she said, trying to scare him.  
  
The young man, however, was not easily intimidated. He just nodded simply, looked away from her, as in thought, and said simply, "Hai, from what I know of him, that doesn't surprise me no da." He shifted a little and a look of discomfort appeared on his face.  
  
"You probably want to rest, ne? I'll let you be then," she said, beginning to stand.  
  
"Chotto mate kudasai na no da," he said suddenly, making a stopping gesture with his left hand. "I have something I'd like to ask you no da. You seem like a decent young lady, why do you stay here with Seiryuu no da? Doushite no da? Why not leave this place and Nakago no da?"  
  
She stared coldly at him. "What business is that of yours?"  
  
"Can't think of a reason no da?"  
  
If looks could kill, Chichiri would have been fried on the spot. "Of course I can. I stay here because I am a Seiryuu no Seishi and it is my duty to serve my god. I stay here and fight for my country. I stay here because I love Nakago," she snarled, angrier with each word. Having said this, she pressed her lips together in a tight line and turned, stalking out of the room.  
  
He was undaunted and continued with, "Does he love you too no da?"  
  
"Of course he does."  
  
The door shut behind her and she reflected on how empty her words sounded, even to her.  
  
  
Running. He was running. Running and laughing and smiling. He was carrying something. Running, running, running, through the town, through the pastures beyond the village limits. He was running. Running to his favorite corner, his favorite place, to his friends. He smiled.  
  
There they were, behind the oak. The giant oak they used to play in when they were but eight years old. Ten years ago, now; ten years, an eternity ago as he ran. He had found her clip, the one she treasured so much, the one her grandmother had given her as an engagement present, the one she had lost just a few days earlier. She would be so pleased.  
  
He stopped running when he got to the tree. He stopped running, he stopped laughing, he stopped smiling. He started hurting, he started hating, and he started dying. They weren't telling each other what they had done over the weekend, they weren't talking of what he would wear to the wedding, they weren't playing a game in the sand. They were holding each other, embracing, embarking, partaking of each other in a way he could not bear. They breathed the same scent, they shared the same warmth, they tasted the same lips. They lived and breathed and shared and tasted what she had promised to only live and breathe and share and taste with him.  
  
And then she took it all back.  
  
The hugs, the kisses, the affectionate squeezes, the words, the clasped hands, the meals, the times she let him play with her hair, the touches, the whispers, the tenderness, the harmony, the joy, the peace, the trust. She took it all back and gave it away with her lips, with her tears, with her bitter sobs, with her shoulders heaving as she wept, with her sniffling voice, with the words she spoke.  
  
"...I'm sorry, Houjun, I cannot marry you anymore..."  
  
"So you do love him...," he murmured, opening his good eye and staring at the ceiling that had not been there just a moment ago.  
  
Immediately, another voice replied to his quiet plea. It was a harder voice, a lower voice than the one in the dream. "What are you mumbling about now?" the voice demanded wryly.  
  
Having been trained to conceal his feelings, Chichiri took his time turning his head to look at the woman seated a few feet away from the bed. She was wearing a scarlet robe and her long tresses flowed out around her like a cape. Her penetrating blue-eyed gaze was fixed on him and her battle-hardened face bemused.  
  
"Talking in my sleep, I suspect no da," Chichiri replied, not realizing he had spoken out loud and hoping it was something trivial he had murmured. "What did I say no da?"  
  
She kept gazing at him. "Something like, 'So you do love him.' Bad dream?" She smirked.  
  
He sighed softly and cringed to himself. He remembered the dream vividly and, although it wasn't the first time he had seen it, it still hurt beyond words. The last thing he wanted to do was explain the whole ordeal to an unsympathetic enemy warrior who was likely to use it against him later in his interrogation. "Bad memory, more like," he responded softly, hoping to shut her up.  
  
~~THIS CHAPTER WILL BE CONTINUED LATER. CHECK MY PROFILE FOR UPDATES.~~ 


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